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Grammar detail: 〜のだが、〜んだが

〜のだが、〜んだが
introducing or framing a topic; expressing regret
190 words
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The expression のだが is often used to suggest that the subject of the sentence is a topic that is being introduced for further discussion, or simply to frame the topic. It may suggest that the topic is 'larger' than the sentence alone describes, or it may indicate a tone of regret, or hope that things change etc.
It may be placed at the end of the first clause of a sentence, in which case the clause describes the topic, and any further clauses provide more insight:
わたし
私
の
くるま
車
は、
きのう
昨日
こしょう
故障
した
のだが、まだ
しゅうり
修理
できていない。
My car, which broke down yesterday, has not been repaired yet.
じかん
時間
があるときでいいのだが、メールを
おく
送
ってくれない
か。
When you have time, could you drop me a note?
わたし
私
の
くるま
車
は、
きのう
昨日
こしょう
故障
した
のだが、まだ
しゅうり
修理
できていない。
My car, which broke down yesterday, has not been repaired yet.
Or it may be placed at the end of the whole sentence, in which case the sentence describes the topic:
わたし
私
はその
しごと
仕事
を
お
終
える
つもりだったのだが。
I intended to have finished the work.
わたし
私
は
たばこ
煙草
をやめればいいのだが。
I wish I could give up smoking.
のだが is just the combination of the nominalizer の, the copula だ (a short form of です), and then the conjunction が meaning 'but'. The presence of が does not necessarily imply anything negative, or that the next sentence will contradict or be opposite in meaning. が (and other words meaning 'but' such as けど) are often used as conjunctions simply to soften a statement:
き
気
に
い
入
ってもらえる
といいんだが。
I hope you like it.
However, it may be used to indicate a suggestion of regret:
もっと
じかん
時間
があったらいいのだが。
I wish we had more time.
きのう
昨日
その
てがみ
手紙
を
か
書
いておけば
よかったのだが。
I ought to have written the letter yesterday.
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Kanji used in this grammar

私
シ   わたくし    わたし I, myself   
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車
シャ   くるま car   
昨
サク    yesterday   
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日
ニチ   ジツ   sun; day   ひ    -か    
故
コ   strike   ゆえ reason; deceased   
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障
ショウ   さわる to hinder, hamper   
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修
シュウ   シュ   おさめる to master   
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理
リ    logic   
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時
ジ   とき time, occasion   
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間
カン   ケン   あいだ interval, between   ま space, room   
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送
ソウ   おくる to send, to escort   
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仕
シ   ジ   つかえる to attend to   
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事
ジ   ズ   こと thing; matter   
終
シュウ   end   おわる to come to an end   おえる to bring to an end   
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煙
エン   けむり smoke   けむる to smoke (chimney etc.)   けむい smoky   
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草
ソウ   くさ grass   
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気
キ   ケ    spirit   
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入
ニュウ   いる to enter   はいる to enter   いれる to put in   
手
シュ   hand   て    た-    
紙
シ   かみ paper   
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書
ショ   かく to write   
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